Secret
by Skyskater
Summary: Five years after the Winter War, Kira and Shuuhei lie in bed together and whisper secrets in the dead of night.


**Because I'm bored. And this is a challenge from satscout, who helps and supports me A LOT.**

**Prompt: Write a KiraShuu yaoi story incorporating the scene where Shuuhei asks Kira to heal Matsumoto and Hinamori: "Didn't you use to be in the Fourth Division?"**

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"Kira. I'll deal with this one. You go take care of Hinamori and Rangiku." That's what he had said.

"You sure you want to get rid of me?"

"Who said I'm getting rid of you!? See to their wounds, then use kido to hide them somewhere and get back here to lend me a hand! If we don't hurry, Rangiku might not make it. Come on, you used to be 4th Division."

"That was a long time ago."

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That WAS a long time ago. A very, very long time ago. He knew that. And I knew that. Because back in the day, back when I had been in the fourth division, that's where I'd first met him, not as a person, but as a shinigami. Not as friends from different classes, but actual, real warriors. It was different. Exciting. New. I liked it. He had been my first patient, for nothing more than a pretty deep cut he gave to himself while slicing a bagel or something like that. Nothing big, but not too small as to put a Band-Aid over it. I sewed him up, he looked at me, and then he smiled, and said, "Why, hello there, Kira."

That was when I started to fall for him. Hard.

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He was strong, reliable, knew when to handle his emotions and when to let them show. I admired him. He had used to be my senpai. But that wasn't anything special, now was it? Since he was Renji's and Hinamori's, too. But I thought of him as solely mine. Shuuhei completed me. We fitted together like two halves of a whole. Like puzzle pieces.

He had been there for me all the time, and I him. He had comforted me when Gin left, he came to visit me while I was in detention, he used to hold me at night back during the academy days when I would have nightmares. I, in turn, would train with him, would drink with him, would make jokes and just, simply, talk with him all through the night about everything and nothing. And I guess he liked that. I guess he liked having someone to talk to, someone you could tell everything to. Shuuhei had issues with opening up to people after Tousen left with Aizen and Gin for Hueco Mundo. I was the only one he could really open up to. I enjoyed that, enjoyed the fact that he trusted me. And I knew enough not to break that trust.

I knew how it felt to be betrayed. So did he. We didn't need any more traitors in our lives.

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It wasn't until a few years ago, though, that he started to express interest in me. Beyond friendliness, I mean. I'd been afraid to show him my heart; I thought he would have been shocked by what he would have found there, and broken it into a thousand million pieces. But when he started showing affections here and there - a touch on the cheek, a ruffle of the hair before bed, soft whispers of nothing against my forehead, the lips not touching, but just barely there - I finally realized that it was okay. That it was okay to love. And to show that love.

When he asked me to go out with him, I said yes.

When he asked me to move in with him, I said yes.

And when he asked me if it would be at all possible for me to even consider marrying - more like eloping with- him, I told him, "Yes. No consideration needed."

* * *

Over the years, I've gotten to understand Shuuhei better. Even more than I had before. Sure, we'd eloped (we didn't want to have to deal with the whole last name issue). We lived together. We slept together. We argued together. We drank together. We did everything that married couples did and beyond. But I've gotten to understand him more, to read the subtle meanings behind his words, behind his actions.

So, really, what he was really saying that day was:

"Since I have no freaking idea how to heal anybody, since I can hurt myself just slicing a bagel, YOU should go and heal Hinamori and Rangiku. This...thing...looks pretty damn dangerous. I know you're strong, but I don't want to see you get hurt if you do get hurt. I don't like it when you're in pain. Besides, right now, they need you more than I do. Go heal them first, and then come back. Come back and fight with me, so that I know you're safe. I love you."

That was what he was saying, really. That was what he said. Except, of course, he couldn't say exactly that. Because Shuuhei's...Shuuhei. He knows when to hold his emotions back, and that day was CLEARLY not the day to wear his heart on his sleeve. But I knew him. I knew what he was really saying. And that was all it was; a little speech to show me that he cared.

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Five years later, after the Winter War, here I am. Lying in bed with my gorgeous, adorable, caring, kind, lovable, insert many great adjectives here, Shuuhei.

"Hey, Kira," he says.  
"Yes?" I ask.  
"I've got a secret."  
"What might that be?"

He leans over, his elbow resting on the pillow, and whispers, in my ear, "Don't tell Izuru that I love him. It's a surprise."

And I smile, and say, "Okay. If I see him, I won't tell him. Oh, yeah. And don't tell Shuuhei that I love him, okay?"

He grins, pulling me into his arms, hands gently stroking my back. And he breathes, into my hair, "Okay. I'll keep your secret."

I press my forehead into the hollow of his throat, and just smile. I can hear his quiet laughter vibrating in his chest. THIS is the way it's meant to be. Forever, and always.

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**There ya go, satscout. Hope you liked. =D**

**Later.  
Skyskaterჯ**


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